Vanilla Chai Tea

You know, this really isn’t that bad for a bagged tea. I always make sure to stay off that high horse whenever I approach bagged tea because there are decent ones out there if you look hard enough.

I just wish it tasted as good as it smells. It doesn’t help anyone here, I’m sure, but it smells almost exactly like a perfume I have called Invasion of the Flesh-Eating Reindeer from Uranus, which smells like rum-soaked gingerbread. This is just missing the rum, otherwise, it smells just as scrumptious.

The taste is a lot duller than the scent, unfortunately. Mostly ginger and cinnamon with a touch of vanilla. A little flat, but the base doesn’t get too out of hand or astringent. I’m sure it would taste better with cream and brown sugar but ultimately, I’ve had a lot worse.

First cup of the day. I found this on top of my ‘need-to-taste’ teabag box, so I’m assuming it’s from a swap. As soon as I opened the little teabag packet, I could smell a rich and creamy vanilla scent. The tea itself is much the same, with an undertone of chai spices. I wasn’t impressed by this tea without milk, but with a little milk and sweetener it becomes a thick and creamy cup full of vanilla flavor. It’s still a little artificial-tasting, but it’s packed full of sweet vanilla flavor. I have 2 teabags left which I’m saving for my fiancee, aka the chai-aholic. I’m sure he’ll love this take on chai!

-Standard teabag with a tag.
-Teabag smells of rich and creamy vanilla with a hint of spices. Tea liquor aroma is of warm, sweet vanilla with an undertone of chai spices.
-Tea liquor is a cloudy dark orange brown color.
-Muted spicy chai flavor with a dull vanilla finish. Artificial vanilla aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Good tea. A warming cup of thick vanilla flavor with a hint of spicy chai. Slightly artificial note.

As we all know, everyone has different tastes. I sort of enjoyed this one. I usually take misc. teabags with me when we go out to eat. (I really don’t like most restaurant teas) I’ve had several cups over the last few weeks. Of course, one of the problems with drinking at a restaurant is that you have know idea what the temp. is and time is only vague since I’m not going to watch my phone or watch. The aroma is lovely with strong vanilla. The vanilla is a little artificial smelling and tasting. The taste is strongly vanilla with a little spicy chia underneath. For me this tea benefits from a little sweetener. I also know that I seem to like sweet teas. For the purpose of carrying it around in my purse and using it at a restaurant this is okay. Would I buy more? Unsure… but I think so. It depends what other teas are available at local grocery store. I rarely buy “good” tea in teabags, so I sort of have to make do with the cheap stuff for eating out. I am unsure about recommending this unless you do really like a strong vanilla but I do and I’ll drink what I have.

A review of Vanilla Chai Tea by Bigelow

Date: 09/22/2012
Company: Bigelow Tea
Tea Name: Vanilla Chai
Tea Type/Varietal: Black
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: Cup/tea bag
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: dark red
Leaf Characteristics: tea bag smells of rich spices like cinnamon and nutmeg; it is a very inviting scent.

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 195 Fahrenheit
Time: 4 minutes

Note: I placed one tea bag into my mug and poured the boiling water into the cup and left it to steep for four minutes. The aroma rising in the air is very spicy and inviting; one does not want to walk away since it is such nice fragrant, inviting warmth.

After four minutes I remove the tea bag to look at the tea’s color and it is very bright reddish like color; it is not like Rooibos teas since in this cup the tea is dark as it is red.

When I begin to sip the tea I am met with the spices as they intermingle. What I recognize at once is the cinnamon and cardamom and something of the nutmeg/cloves which seem to give it that spicy salt-like kick to it.

I am having this tea plainly with water, but the recommended way is to have it with milk or soy.

So for now my cup of tea is a spice-full cup of hot water which invites for more to be done to it for better appreciation.

2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 190 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes

Note: I was able to get another steep of this tea with a three minutes steep since. The spices continue to be wonderfully enticing making for an invigorating cup of tea.

I HATED this tea. I couldn’t even finish the cup.

An entirely adequate chai-like tea.

This is one of my favorite bagged teas because sometimes you just cant beat the convince of bagged tea. It is aromatic and slightly spicy. I always pair it this milk and honey.

Found this in my moms tea cabinet.

This is the one. Years ago, this is the tea I bought when I didn’t know much about tea and wanted to learn more and made me an addict. I remember it well. I waned to like tea, but hadn’t had very good examples. I bought the big box of Lipton,and the Breakfast variety pack from Bigelow. Then I bought this and changed the way I looked at tea. I started branching out and eventually journeyed to Red Blossom.

But this is the tea that started my obsession. It’s pretty bland for a chai, decent balance but not great clarity of flavors. I do like the subtlety of the vanilla, it’s not overpowering but it is there.

It’s an OK tea, certainly down on the list now that I have tried some pretty amazing chai, but it will always hold a special place in my heart for being there when I needed it.

-E

Disclaimer: I’m a former tea bag drinker converted to loose leaf teas, but am trying to use up my stash of bagged teas. They are convenient for work, so not a problem.

That said, I find this tea rather “meh”. A chai should be spicy, but this one isn’t. I do taste the vanilla, and the tea has a rather smooth feeling which is nice. It also took a considerable amount of sweetner to make it drinkable and bring out the vanila. Unfortunately, no spiciness ever appeared. I get a nice warminess when drinking it, but it’s flat.

One word for this one: YUM!

Sweet and spicy and smooth and oh my God I need more.